单选题 Researchers have recently found a connection between disease and stressful situations. To test this theory, psychologists are trying to find a link between the brain and the immune system.
The immune system in our bodies fights the bacteria and viruses which cause disease. Therefore, whether or not we are likely to get various diseases depends on how well our immune system works. Biologists used to think that the immune system was a separate, independent part of our bodies. Recently, however, they have found that our brain can affect our immune system. This discovery indicates that there may be a connection between emotional factors, such as stress or depression, and illness.
Although many doctors in the past suspected a connection between emotional factor and disease, they had no proof. Scientists have only recently discovered how the brain and the immune system function. Before this, no one could see a link between them. As a result, medical science never seriously considered the idea that psychological factors could cause disease.
Several recent studies showed a connection between stress and illness, for example, researchers went to an American military school to study the students. They found that the sick students there had a lot of academic pressure and wanted to achieve, but they were not very good students. In a similar study, researchers studied a group of student nurses and found that the nurses who developed cold sores were the ones who described themselves as generally unhappy people.
In addition to these results, which support their theory, researchers are also looking for proof that stress can damage the immune system. Researchers studied recently bereaved people, i.e. , people whose loved ones have just died, because they are more likely to become ill or die. By examining the immune system of recently bereaved people, the researchers made an important discovery. They examined some white blood cells which are an important part of the immune system. They were not functioning properly. The fact that they were not working correctly indicates that severe psychological stress, such as a loved one"s death, may damage an important part of our immune system.
There is still no positive proof of a connection between the immune system and psychological factors. Researchers also say that the results of the studies on bereaved people could have a different explanation. For example, bereaved people often sleep and eat less than normal, or may drink alcohol or take medication. These factors can also affect the immune system. More research is needed to clearly establish the connection between the immune system and psychological factors.
单选题 The study on the military school students indicated that ______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 第三段中科学家们怀疑心理因素可能导致疾病,第四段第一句指出Several recent studies showed a connection between stress and illness,以美国一个军事学校为例对该观点进行论证,可以判断选项B正确。
单选题 The immune system ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 第二段中第三句提到生物学家曾认为the immune system was a separate,independent part of our bodies,即免疫系统是完全独立的,但最近研究发现our brain can affect our immune system,而疾病也和情绪有关,据此可以判断情绪能够影响免疫系统。
单选题 In the past, many doctors ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 第三段第一句中many doctors in the past suspected a connection between emotional factor and disease, they had no proof表明医生们认识到心理因素和疾病产生有关,但是不能证实这一点,可以排除其他三个选项。
单选题 Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题可用排除法,文中叙述了不快乐、饮酒无度和过度悲伤都可能影响免疫系统,心理压力可能会影响,但并不是自然而然地会导致免疫系统的破坏。
单选题 The text mainly supplies information for answering which of the following questions?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 本文通过一些例子证实了情绪会影响免疫系统,是对选项A“情绪是否能影响免疫系统”的回答。